Forest Fires and their Prevention. 



21 



TABLE 6.— CAUSES OF FOREST FIRES IN THE DIFFERENT REGIONS OF NORTH 

 CAROLINA IN 1910, IN PERCENTAGES. 



This table shows that over three-fourths of the fires reported from all 

 over the State were thought to be uuiutentioual. Forty-two per cent 

 of all the replies given by correspondents can be classified under the 

 head of individual carelessness, which is practically the same figure as 

 was obtained last year. In the Piedmont region, however, where burn- 

 ing to improve the range is practically eliminated as a cause of fires, 

 fifty-seven per cent of the correspondents attributed the fires to indi- 

 vidual carelessness. Farmers burning brush, grass, stumps, and rubbish 

 are said to be responsible for about one-third of these "individual" fires, 

 while probably a majority of those attributed to general carelessness 

 should come under this head. This is by far the most frequent cause 

 of fires originating from the individual. More care in the setting of 

 such fires, and watching them till they are burned out and harmless, 

 would prevent many of the most serious and destructive fires. 



Sparks from engines is a very fertile cause of forest fires, over one- 

 third of the correspondents giving this as the principal cause in 1910. 

 Railroad and logging locomotives are the chief offenders, twenty-nine 

 per cent of all the correspondents accusing them. This is considerably 

 more than fell to their share in 1909. These railroad fires are in large 

 part preventable, and as soon as property owners along the lines of rail- 

 roads unite in demanding protection, it can be secured. 



